Hard as it may be to believe, but there’s something to be said about the power of positive affirmations because they are surprisingly effective in motivating people to become the best versions of themselves and emerge as successful individuals in their personal and professional lives. And for the people who do subscribe to positive affirmations, they don’t have any qualms with applying them in their everyday affairs. Thats because they believe that such words are able to guide them in the right direction when they make decisions.

Of course, skeptics everywhere may carry some doubts or reservations about affirmations and the effect they have on people, and this is understandable. Not everyone may believe that repeating a certain sentence or a phrase out loud or in their minds could possibly be influential, but there’s definitely no denying how this practice has changed the lives of so many people for the better. So instead of keeping positive affirmations at arm’s length, perhaps you should be open to the idea and discover the possibility of changing your life.

If you’ve ever wanted to remove any traces of negativity in your life, then you should definitely give positive affirmations a try. In fact, doing them could really help unburden your mind and soul from all of the unwanted forces that have been giving you so much stress and problems over the years. The power to improve your life is in your hands, and when you confidently affirm yourself with help from the pieces of advice featured below, then you’ll soon be living the kind of life you want that’s filled with success and happiness.

Create your own affirmations

Believing in yourself begins with the creation of your own positive statements, and this is something that you can easily accomplish. It helps to utilize your free time so you could have plenty of opportunities to come up with a wide range of affirmations from deep in your subconscious. Positive statements are more effective if you are the ones who came up with them in the first place, so you should take this as a challenge which you can rise to.

If you don’t have any idea on where to begin, then a good place to get inspiration would be from books. Published works—whether fiction or nonfiction—are great sources for you to collect ideas on how to write your own positive affirmations. Pay attention to the text so you’ll be able to point out certain sentences, paragraphs, quotes, dialogue, and other sections that might spark your imagination and prompt you to compose your own words.

Feel the emotion within them

It’s one thing to actually write the words and say them out loud, but it’s another thing entirely to really feel the meaning and intention behind them. Positive affirmations work when people understand the emotional depth behind the words they are saying to themselves, and this is something that you should take note of every time you empower yourself. The impact of your affirmations will be felt greatly if you tap into your emotions.

A good way to tell if you can feel your affirmations or not is if you are able to visualize exactly how you would react if your goals are met. For instance, if you were to say to yourself “I am a confident and charismatic public speaker” and you feel happy just thinking about it in your mind, then that’s a good sign that your statement is rooted in a positive emotion. Make sure to channel those good vibes every time you recite your affirmations.

Put them in present tense

Here’s a great tip to ensure that your personal statements will always go in your favor: always place them in the present context. This means that your affirmations must be oriented in the here and now so that you’ll have an easier time attaining your goals. While most people might choose to frame their statements in future tense, it’s a much better idea to stick to the present tense since it positions your affirmations within a realistic timeline.

So instead of saying things like “I will become a successful and happy person” or “I will strive to become a kind and generous individual”, you should reframe them as “I am a successful and happy person” and “I am a kind and generous individual”, respectively. Notice the difference once you write your affirmations in the present tense: it presents what you say or think as facts as opposed to things that are yet to happen, so do keep this in mind.

Always go for positive statements

Now, we know what you might be thinking on this one: how can you make positive affirmations even more positive? By their very definition, they should already carry an uplifting message towards individuals. However, you should be paying attention to the way that you phrase or compose your statements because there is a significant difference between an affirmation with a positive angle and one that carries a negative implication.

Here’s a good example for you to remember: “I am not ungrateful” versus “I am grateful”. While both statements technically mean the same thing in terms of gratitude, the former is phrased in a negative context by the mere presence of the word “not” and the suffix “-un” placed before the word “grateful”. By contrast, the latter statement reads better since it is phrased in a totally positive context and bears no traces of any elements of negation.

Say them with belief and conviction

Whether you are thinking silently or chanting out loud in private, you must always apply a high degree of conviction and belief in your affirmations in order for them to create a strong impact on your life. Human beings operate on both a conscious and subconscious level, and when people truly believe that something is real in their minds and hearts, then there’s no stopping them from attaining whatever goals and desires they might have.

Remember, when you think or recite your affirmations in a halfhearted manner, then you can’t expect to believe that what you’re saying will have an effect because you’re not making a genuine effort in believing your words. Practice saying your affirmations out loud or silently in front of a mirror and make sure to look into your eyes as you do it. This will help you strengthen your level of belief and conviction until your goals are surely reached.

Put your words into action

It’s not enough that you have to say the words that will help boost your self-esteem and confidence, but you also need to make sure that you’re doing everything that you can to validate those words. And the only way you can do that is by performing actions that are directly related to what your positive affirmations are aligned to. Taking action right after you invoke your affirmation helps lay the groundwork for the success you’ve been chasing.

You have to be conscious about following every affirmation with a corresponding action because words cannot transform into action by themselves; you have to be the one to make such transmutations happen. For example: if one of your affirmations goes something like “I am helpful to my friends and family members”, then you have to make the effort to spend time with your loved ones and help them in any way possible to validate your statements.

Remind yourself on a daily basis

With a lot of people living a hectic lifestyle, it can be easy for anyone to forget their positive affirmations. That is why you have to remind yourself to consciously think or speak your affirming statements every day so that your mind and body will be wired for positivity and success. So if you want your day to be free of negative energies or at least minimize the effects of stressors, then daily reminders are necessary to achieving those exalted goals.

Make a habit of starting your day by repeating your positive statements so that you’ll go through the day frequently repeating them subconsciously in your mind as you facilitate your daily tasks. Other effective ways of reminding yourself of your affirmations include writing them down on sticky notes and then placing all of your written posts in strategic areas in your home or workplace where you’re bound to notice them.